Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Microplastic ingestion by Mullus surmuletus Linnaeus, 1758 fish and its potential for causing oxidative stress

About 27% of striped red mullet caught in the Mediterranean had ingested microplastics, but analysis of their livers showed no significant oxidative stress or cellular damage. The study suggests that at current environmental concentrations, microplastic ingestion by this commercially important fish species does not cause measurable acute harm to organ tissue.

2017 Environmental Research 363 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Fish and Fishery Products and Risks for Human Health: A Review

This review summarizes existing research on microplastic contamination in fish and seafood products and the associated human health risks. Microplastics found in fish can carry harmful chemicals and pathogens, and once eaten by humans, they may cause oxidative stress and move from the gut to other tissues. The review highlights seafood as a major dietary source of microplastic exposure and calls for better monitoring and risk assessment.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 200 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics in freshwater fishes health and the implications for human health

This review examines how microplastics affect the health of freshwater fish, which are a major protein source for billions of people. Fish ingest microplastics that accumulate in their guts, gills, and tissues, leading to inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted growth. Since microplastics in fish tissue can transfer to humans through the food chain, this is relevant to both ecosystem and human health.

2023 Brazilian Journal of Biology 39 citations
Article Tier 2

A Biomarker Approach as Responses of Bioindicator Commercial Fish Species to Microplastic Ingestion: Assessing Tissue and Biochemical Relationships

Researchers assessed microplastic intake and antioxidant biomarker responses in three Mediterranean fish species, finding that microplastic ingestion correlated with oxidative stress indicators across red mullet, bogue, and anchovy populations.

2022 Biology 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological Toxicity, Oxidative Stress and Impacts of Microplastics on Fish Gills

This review summarizes research on how microplastic exposure damages fish gills, a critical organ for breathing, waste removal, and maintaining body chemistry. Researchers found that microplastics cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, and structural changes to gill tissue, which can impair blood parameters and overall fish health. The findings highlight that gill damage from microplastics may be a widespread concern for freshwater and marine fish populations.

2025 Indus journal of bioscience research. 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polypropylene microplastics via diet and water induces oxidative stress in Cyprinus carpio

Researchers fed carp fish polypropylene microplastics through both food and water and found that exposure caused oxidative stress in the liver, gills, and intestines. The damage was dose-dependent, with higher microplastic concentrations causing more harm to the fish's antioxidant defense systems. Since carp is a widely consumed fish, these findings raise questions about whether microplastics in aquaculture could affect the safety of fish as human food.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic exposure causes organ damage in Puntius sophore

Researchers sampled a freshwater ecosystem in Tamil Nadu, India, and exposed the local fish Puntius sophore to collected microplastics at sub-lethal concentrations, then assessed organ damage. Microplastic exposure caused histological damage in gills, liver, and kidney of this freshwater sentinel species, with oxidative stress biomarkers elevated in all three organs.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in wild fish from North East Atlantic Ocean and its potential for causing neurotoxic effects, lipid oxidative damage, and human health risks associated with ingestion exposure

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in three commercially important fish species from the North East Atlantic Ocean and found that 49% of the 150 fish analyzed contained microplastics. Fish with microplastics showed significantly higher levels of lipid damage in the brain, gills, and muscle, along with signs of neurotoxicity. Based on the microplastics found in edible fish muscle, the study estimates that human consumers may ingest hundreds of microplastic particles per year from fish consumption alone.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 855 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Aquatic Organisms: Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress and Implications for Human Health—A Review

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress, a harmful chemical imbalance, in aquatic organisms from plankton to fish. These tiny plastics accumulate in the food chain and may reach humans through seafood consumption. While the evidence of harm in aquatic species is growing, more research is needed to fully understand the implications for human health.

2023 Environments 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Long-term exposure to microplastics induces oxidative stress and a pro-inflammatory response in the gut of Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758

Researchers fed gilthead seabream a diet containing low-density polyethylene microplastics for 90 days and found progressive increases in oxidative stress biomarkers, inflammatory enzyme activity, and tissue damage in the gut. After a 30-day depuration period, most biomarker values returned toward normal levels, indicating some recovery capacity. The study demonstrates that long-term microplastic ingestion can induce sustained oxidative stress and inflammation in fish intestines.

2020 Environmental Pollution 203 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Presence in the Digestive Tract of Pearly Razorfish Xyrichtys novacula Causes Oxidative Stress in Liver Tissue

Microplastics were found in 89% of pearly razorfish (Xyrichtys novacula) specimens from the Balearic Islands, with fish carrying more than 4 MPs showing elevated activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase in liver tissue, indicating oxidative stress and detoxification responses.

2023 Toxics 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological Stress Responses Associated with Microplastic Ingestion in the Benthic Flatfish Bothus podas

Researchers found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of 87.5% of wide-eyed flounder collected near Mallorca, Spain, with an average of nearly four particles per fish. The most common microplastics were fibers made of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester. Fish with higher microplastic loads showed signs of oxidative stress and immune responses in their intestinal and liver tissues, suggesting that ingesting microplastics may affect fish health.

2025 Toxics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Deleterious Effects of Polypropylene Microplastic Ingestion in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Researchers fed Nile tilapia daily doses of polypropylene microplastics for 30 days and observed significant health effects including changes in blood cell counts, altered gut bacteria, and tissue damage to the intestines and liver. The higher dose group showed more pronounced effects, including elevated inflammatory markers and signs of oxidative stress. The study provides evidence that chronic ingestion of microplastics commonly found in aquatic environments can cause meaningful harm to a widely consumed fish species.

2023 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects Of Microplastics On Fish Physiology

This review examines how microplastic exposure affects fish physiology, covering accumulation patterns in different tissues, effects on organ function including liver and gill damage, antioxidant responses, and potential reproductive health consequences from both solo and combined contaminant exposures.

2025 Spectrum of Emerging Sciences
Article Tier 2

Oxidative Stress Induced by Exposure of Microplastics in Labeo Rohita

Exposure to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics caused dose-dependent oxidative stress in rohu fish (Labeo rohita) over 45 days. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in aquatic environments can harm fish health through increased free radical damage.

2021 2 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effects of Microplastics on the Oxygen Consumption and Histological Changes of the Cultured Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

This study found that microplastic exposure caused tissue damage in the gills and intestines of tilapia fish, with higher concentrations leading to more severe changes. Since tilapia is widely consumed worldwide, these findings raise questions about whether microplastics in farmed fish could affect the quality and safety of the seafood on our plates.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Antioxidants and molecular damage in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after exposure to microplastics

Researchers exposed juvenile Nile Tilapia to different concentrations of microplastics for 15 days followed by a recovery period. The study found dose-dependent increases in oxidative stress markers, DNA fragmentation, and altered protein patterns in fish exposed to microplastics. Evidence indicates that while fish exposed to the lowest concentration recovered after the treatment ended, higher doses caused more persistent damage.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 192 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity and Functional Tissue Responses of Two Freshwater Fish after Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics

Researchers exposed zebrafish and perch to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and assessed tissue-level damage using a battery of biomarkers. They found that the microplastics caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, and activated cell death pathways in both gill and liver tissues. The study suggests that gills are more sensitive to microplastic exposure than liver tissue for most measured parameters, with DNA damage being the most responsive biomarker overall.

2021 Toxics 79 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination and biological alterations in Atlantic wild fish populations, and human health risks associated to fillet consumption

Researchers found microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts, gills, liver, brain, and muscle tissue of wild Atlantic pouting and hake fish, and the contamination was linked to measurable biological changes in the fish. The study also estimated human health risks from eating these fish fillets, developing a new index that combines microplastic intake levels with the hazard level of the specific plastic types found. This work provides a direct link between microplastic pollution in wild fish and potential risks to people who eat seafood regularly.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative effects of consuming microplastics in different tissues of white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Researchers fed white shrimp diets containing polystyrene microplastics and found the particles accumulated in gills, muscles, and the hepatopancreas. The microplastics triggered oxidative stress, DNA damage, and lipid damage in multiple tissues, along with visible tissue abnormalities including edema and immune cell infiltration. The study demonstrates that dietary microplastic exposure can cause widespread oxidative harm across different organ systems in commercially important shellfish.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 22 citations